[LogicalFallacy]

http://news.yahoo.com/florida-city-b...--finance.html

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The Florida city where neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin is changing the rules on how civilian patrols can operate to help prevent a recurrence and revive the program's reputation.

The new rules, to be released at a community meeting on November 5 in Sanford, Florida, will state explicitly that residents acting under the authority of neighborhood watch may not carry a firearm or pursue someone they deem suspicious.

"Neighborhood watch was always intended to be a program where you observe what is going on and report it to police. In light of everything that has gone on, that's what we're really going to go back and push. That's what this program is and that's all it is," said Shannon Cordingly, spokeswoman for the Sanford Police Department.

Another gun law aimed at law-abiding citizens

[walruskkkch]

Looks like the urban element can pound people heads into the pavement with impunity now.

[LogicalFallacy]

Sanford's new rules are laid out in a more detailed handbook and will require neighborhood watch groups to undergo training, register members with the police department and regularly update their status with the department, Cordingly said.

The neighborhood watch program will be overseen by the department's new full-time three-officer community relations unit, she said.

Cordingly said the police department for the first time will map out the locations and keep track of neighborhood watch groups.

She said any neighborhood watch member who violates the rules, including carrying a weapon, will face removal from the program but will not be charged with a crime.

People can just leave the program. I would.

[Midnight_Marauder]

Can they still carry watches?

[LogicalFallacy]

Originally Posted by Midnight Marauder

Can they still carry watches?

For now

[lilpogie]

Actually, I'm kinda in agreement with not allowing neighborhood watch folks carry a gun, but rather allowing trained officers deal with situations that might require the use of gun. Ordinary folks are not trained for those kinds of situations, and there is also the issue of the emotional toll it might have on an ordinary citizen, and then there's the issue of accidental shootings and vigilantism. Besides all that, how many of us really know our neighbors well enough to trust or even want them already empowered (swollen headed) by their neighborhood watch duties and carrying a gun, I know I don't.

[Midnight_Marauder]

Each and every city should be allowed to make its own choices regarding this. It should NOT be a national requirement.

[moomin]

What if they had a neighbourhood watch and nobody turned up?

Anyway, after the Zimmermann story, who'd in his right mind would ever volunteer for NW? Defend yourself, be destroyed for life by the justice department.